Fall of Igneeria: The Half-ling

by Kaylee Soderburg

  I stood, frozen in fear at the sight of the dragon. It stalked towards me. The piercing green eyes bore into mine and I was more scared than I had ever been in all 15 years of my life.

  “Jazell move!” Seth yelled and pushed me behind him so hard, I almost fell over.

  I caught myself and pulled out my bow, notching an arrow. We all tensed, prepared for a fight. All of a sudden, Emily walked towards the dragon. Seth yelled at her to get back but she ignored him. She stood right in front of its head and opened her mouth, bizarre sounds started coming out. We all stood there mesmerized as she grunted, growled, snorted and hissed at the dragon. I expected it to just take a huge bite out of her, but it seemed as surprised as we were.

  “Emily, what's going on?” I shouted to her and started to walk over.

  Seth reached out and grabbed my arm. I spun around, suddenly annoyed. He shook his head and nodded over to the dragon. I looked and to my surprise it was bending down to let Emily stroke its head. She patted its head and it curled up outside the cave. She bent down to whisper something in its ear and then stood up again.

  “Well,” she said looking at us, “what are you waiting for?” She disappeared in the cave. Then she poked her head out. “Come on!”

  We walked slowly into the cave. I glanced over at the dragon, which was now asleep and making small puffs of smoke in the rain. I sat on the cold stone floor, shivering. I was soaked to the skin and my hair was completely plastered to my head. Seth sat next to me and I could see he was shivering too. Jason slid down the wall across from us with his eyes closed.

  “I never want to walk again,” he mumbled. “Never.”

  “You're going to have to, dude. We have a lot of walking left to do,” Seth said wearily.

  Jason groaned and circled up against the wall. Emily pulled her hood off and examined herself. She mumbled something and squeezed her sleeves. “I feel so heavy and gross.”

  Jason's eyes popped open. “Why are you complaining? You're freaking dryer than all of us and you got some awesome power, too. You can't complain.”

  “Language Jason,” she scolded. “I hate even being a tad wet so I feel like complaining. I just do, so deal.”

  Jason scowled and closed his eyes again. “I'm sleeping and if anyone wakes me up and it's not to kill something, I'll stab them with my dagger.”

  “Wow you're just a sparkly rainbow today,” I said.

  Emily shook her head. “He's just a fat crab.”

  “Maybe I am,” Jason said, “deal.”

  Emily sat near the entrance of the cave. I heard Jason's breathing slow down which met he was sleeping. I found myself pressing my shoulder to Seth's, trying to find warmth. Heat flowed into my shoulder but it wasn't much. Oh well, you can't always be satisfied.

  “Emily, how did you keep that dragon from attacking us?” I asked. “You were making funny sounds that made no sense to me.”

  She looked puzzled. “What do you mean, I was speaking English and so was the dragon.”

  I shook my head. “No you weren't, you were making grunting and growling sounds.”

  “That's odd, I didn't think I was,” she said. “I told the dragon that we were four half-lings who needed shelter from the rain. Then he asked if we were against Kojas and I said yes, that he was hunting us. Then he told me that he would let us use his cave because he was on our side. Then I thanked him and here we are, inside the cave nice and dry.”

  “Maybe that's your power, you can speak to dragons,” Seth suggested. “But I don't understand how you two get powers and we don't.”

  “Be patient,” I said.

  “Yes,” Emily murmured and stifled a yawn. “Girls first, Seth. Have a problem with that?”

  “All right then,” he said and leaned against the wall. “Sweet dreams to you two.”

  “Yup sweet dreams to us,” I said and closed my eyes. “Goodnight Emily.”

  “Goodnight Jazell.”

  I drifted off, feeling surprising comfy against Seth's shoulder and hearing Jason softy snore.

  I opened my eyes to see myself standing in the woods. The sky saw clearer and it wasn't raining anymore. It was eerie quiet and as I stood there it felt like I had never left the woods. I heard a voice whispering one word over and over again.

  “Jazell...”

  “What?” I called. “What do you want?”

  “Jazell...” the voice whispered again. “Jazell.”

  “What?” I screamed into the trees. “What do you want? Why do you have to repeat my name over and over again, it's creepy.”

  “Jazell, beware,” it whispered again. “Beware.”

  I stomped my foot in frustration and yelled, “Beware of what?”

  “Beware,” it mumbled back. “Beware of the shadows.”

  “What?” I said, startled. “I know how scary shadows are and I don't need you to tell me that.”

  “Jazell...”

  “That's it,” I said angrily. “I'm getting an answer for once.”

  I ran towards the voice, which was hard because it sounded like it was everywhere. A bright light flashed and I saw a ghost-like girl disappear in the darkness. My eyes widened as I saw Seth and then darkness. But not before the voice said one more thing.

  “Beware of each other.”